Field reports: Surplus multiseason elk, deer tags available in Washington

Hunters who bought a multiseason permit application for elk earlier this year, but were not selected in the April drawing, may be one of the additional 115 people who will be selected for surplus elk multiseason tags.

In past years, hunters would camp out and form lines for the opportunity to secure this coveted elk permit.

Given the risk of COVID-19, the department is releasing the tags differently this year.

“The next sequential 115 hunters on the original official draw list of elk multiseason tags will have an opportunity to buy the remaining tags,” WDFW Licensing Division Manager Peter Vernie said.

“By using the existing official draw list from April, this prevents large group gatherings at retail locations and keeps the opportunity fair.”

Elk hunters can also login on the WILD System after 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, to see if they are eligible to buy an elk multiseason tag.

The remaining 115 elk multiseason tag winners will receive an email from WDFW notifying them that they are eligible to buy a multiseason elk tag.

Beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2,723 deer multiseason tags will also be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hunters can buy licenses online, over the phone, or at an authorized Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) license dealer.

WDFW regional offices and headquarters in Olympia remain closed to in-person license sales.

Hunters who want to buy a deer multiseason tag must have bought a 2020 deer multiseason special hunt application and have a general season deer license before buying a multiseason tag.

Hunters who already have their 2020 general season tag must surrender it by contacting the WDFW Licensing Department at (360) 902-2464 before buying the multiseason tag.

Multiseason deer tags are $139.10 and multiseason elk tags are $182.00.

Tag costs are the same for residents and nonresidents. There will not be a purchase deadline for the elk or deer multiseason tags.

Multiseason deer tags will remain on sale until the tag limit is reached. Hunters who purchase a multiseason tag will not lose points in their multiseason deer or elk special hunt application categories.

Hunters with multiseason tags can hunt all three weapon choices (modern firearm, muzzleloader, archery), season permitting, until their tag is filled.

Restrictions for campfires increaseDue to the continuous dry, hot weather, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday more changes in campfire restrictions and industrial fire precaution levels (IFPL) on DNR-protected lands.

Beginning July 28, a statewide burn ban was enacted by Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz that remains in effect through Sept. 30.

Effective now, 2020:

• Campfires in campgrounds are not allowed in Highlands and Methow Fire Danger Rating Areas.
• IFPL will increase to Level 2 in zone 687.

Fire danger ratings remain the same for the following:

• Remains extreme in the Lower Basin and Valley Fire Danger Rating Areas.
• Remains very high in the Chelan, Foothills, Highlands, Lower Yakima, Methow, Upper Basin and Upper Yakima Fire Danger Rating Areas.
• Remains high in the Kaniksu Fire Danger Rating Area.

Burn restrictions remain in place for the following:

• Campfires in campgrounds are not allowed in Foothills, Kaniksu, Lower Basin, Upper Basin and Valley Fire Danger Rating areas.
• Small debris disposal fires (rule burning) are not allowed in Chelan, Foothills, Highlands, Kaniksu, Lower Basin, Lower Yakima, Methow, Upper Basin, Upper Yakima and Valley Fire Danger Rating Areas.

No burning allowed (written burn permits issued by DNR are suspended) in Chelan, Foothills, Highlands, Kaniksu, Lower Basin, Lower Yakima, Methow, Upper Basin, Upper Yakima and Valley Fire Danger Rating Areas.

Daily updates on burn restrictions are available at 1-800-323-BURN (2876) or on the burn portal map at burnportal.dnr.wa.gov/ and IFPL map at www.dnr.wa.gov/ifpl.

Scotchman Peak work parties

Friends of Scotchman Peak is still working on trails and talking to hikers. Its volunteer programs are in full swing – taking health precautions, of course.

Others can join, staying connected even with social distancing.

FSPW has some trail days coming up, and it has launched an adopt-a-trail program.

This program allows volunteers to go out when it’s convenient and to control the group size.

Trail Ambassadors are out again hiking Scotchman Peak to keep goats wild, trails open and hikers safe.

They have open spots available and need a few more folks to help. There are more people hiking this summer and many of them are new to the trail.

Trail Ambassadors: www.scotchmanpeaks.org/you-can-help/leave-mountain-goats-wild/

Trail Days: www.scotchmanpeaks.org/stewardship/trail-projects/

Adopt-a-Trail: www.scotchmanpeaks.org/adopt-a-trail/

Driving delays on Red Ives Road

Motorists along Forest Service Road 218, commonly known as Red Ives Road, will experience temporary driving delays for several days next week as workers complete much-needed upgrades and improvements.

Drivers could experience delays of up to two hours between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. from Tuesday, Aug. 18, to Thursday, Aug. 20. Heavy equipment operations repairs are scheduled for previous slide areas to improve water drainage at multiple locations and haul excess material from the vicinity.

Located on the St. Joe Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, the road is about 75 miles east of St. Maries and about 15 miles southwest of St. Regis, Montana. It is commonly used by recreationists and by timber hauling equipment.

The Forest Service and Shoshone County have previously Identified a 5-mile section of Red Ives Road as needing improvements to protect the roadway from deterioration as well as potential negative impacts to the St. Joe River should the road deteriorate further.

For more information about this project, contact the St. Joe Ranger District office in St. Maries at (208) 245-6000 or visit the Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/ipnf/.